RANKIN COUNTY — Residents have approved liquor sales at restaurants on the Rankin County side of the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Complete but unofficial returns show more than 80 percent of those voting yesterday approved the liquor sales.

Eligible voters were residents who live on property owned by the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and who were registered to vote.

Only establishments that receive 60 percent of their revenue from food sales are eligible to sell liquor by the glass.

The Madison County side of the reservoir already has qualified resort status.

The reservoir is located between Madison and Rankin counties north of Jackson. The reservoir covers about 33,000 acres and is surrounded by about 17,000 acres of shoreline property. The water district leases the shoreline property for residential and commercial developments.

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